Digital audio players, whether implemented in hardware or software, are widely available and popular for storing and/or playing digital audio content (e.g., digital audio streams, encoded sound recordings, etc.). Digital audio content may be digitized into different formats based on variables, such as bit rate, communication protocol(s), physical medium, compression algorithm, and/or other variables. Common digital audio formats include, without limitation, MPEG (e.g., MP3, etc.), WAV, MIDI, and/or other formats known to those skilled in the art. Digital audio content in various digital formats can be transmitted, as a file or as a data stream, over wireless and/or wired communication networks via appropriate protocols (e.g., HyperText Transport Protocol (HTTP), Real-Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP), and/or other protocols).
Exemplary digital audio players implemented in hardware include, without limitation, Apple iPod, SONICblue Rio, Casio's MP3 audio wrist watch, Compaq iPaq, and other players known to those skilled in the art. Exemplary digital audio players implemented in software include, without limitation, MusicMatch's Jukebox, Realplayer, Microsoft Media Player, and other software players known to those skilled in the art.
Typically, a digital audio player has functions that allow a user to enjoy digital audio content in different ways. These functions may include playback, record, forward, reverse, skip, random play, repeat, and/or other functions. However, digital audio players generally do not provide any audio content manipulation functions, such as DJ functions. Exemplary DJ functions include mixing, scratching, fading, reverse play, looping, and/or other functions. These functions are referred to as DJ functions because they are typically provided by specialized DJ digital turntables, whether implemented in hardware or software, to be used by professional DJs. These functions are known in the art and need not be described in more detail herein.
Professional DJs using a specialized DJ digital turntable are able to perform DJ functions on digital audio content, for example, to create audio content for subsequent distribution via some type of media or for live events. Exemplary DJ digital turntables implemented in software include, without limitation, Acid Pro from Sonic Foundry and American Audio Pro Mix MP3 Player.
The DJ digital turntables are generally designed to be used and controlled by individual DJs and are not readily usable by groups of collaborators (e.g., to create a collaborative audio session and/or live jamming session), particularly if the would-be collaborators are not in the same location. Conversely, digital audio players are generally designed to be used and controlled by individual users. In other words, the networked interactivity that is available for other communications formats (e.g., discussion forums and instant messaging for text, videoconferencing for meetings, etc.) is not available for music and many other types of audio content.
Thus, a market exists for a digital audio system that enables multiple users of digital audio players to be able to join in a collaborative audio session via a networked environment.